Trump NIH director Jay Bhattacharya to take over at CDC

Published February 18, 2026 1:23pm ET



National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya will also serve as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after a week of shake-ups in the Trump administration’s public health agencies.

Senior administration officials confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday that Bhattacharya will helm the CDC and continue his role at the NIH until President Donald Trump appoints a permanent CDC director.

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